Blown Away: Age-old craft thrives in South Bethlehem community

Torches blazed, ovens roared and sweat dripped from the faces of the men and women bent over tiny, hollow spheres of molten glass. About two dozen people lined the railings above the glass studio, gazing in awe at the artists below.

On the first Friday of every month, the Banana Factory, a local arts and cultural center, opens its doors to the public at no cost. Volunteers and staff in the Banana Factory’s Hot Glass Studio run demonstrations and twist scorching liquid into vibrant sculptures.  

Dan Getz has worked at the Banana Factory for six years, and he is the glass studio’s lead gaffer, the senior member of the glassblowing team who is responsible for overseeing the glass production process. Getz designs and runs classes for the community and produces his own projects.

“Glassblowing is an ancient art, and it’s also extremely magical because a lot of people don’t know what it’s about,” Getz said.

He said only 1,000 soft glass workers are still left in the United States.

“It’s very niche,” said Ken Shirey, the hot glass studio specialist. “There’s lots of painters, lots of sculptors, but nowhere near as many true glass artists.”

Shirey, who volunteered at the Banana Factory for four years before accepting a part-time position at the glass studio last year, said he works on the administrative side, fostering relationships and educating the community on glassblowing.

Although Shirey does not create these glass pieces himself, he does understand and appreciate the glassblowing process.

“There’s a lot of people who come here just about every month when we have First Friday,” Shirey said. “What I really like about it is just the reaction of people watching. I’m sure I have the same reaction.”

Shirey said an artist first begins the glassblowing process by gathering clear, fluid liquid from a 2,100 degree oven with a steel rod, or pipe.

The artist uses a hollow pipe to create hollow glass objects, such as ornaments, and uses a solid pipe to create solid glass objects, such as paperweights.

Once enough glass is gathered onto the pipe, color is added in the form of “frit,” or fine, ground-up glass that resembles a powder. Shirey explained that if one were to make a paperweight, the glass would be placed back in the furnace to create a clear, magnifying layer around the colorful core.

Shirey said the glass is then shaped with a block. Once the artist has finished shaping the glass piece, the object is placed in an annealing, or cooling, oven. The 950-degree computerized oven allows the glass to cool gradually over a 12 to 24 hour period.

Getz said pieces can take anywhere from ten minutes to all day depending on the object. He said he works with a variety of individuals with different skill sets.

“A lot of times people come here and the glass actually brings something out of them that they didn’t realize they had before,” Getz said.

Rachel McCoog, ’19, said she comes to the glassblowing studio on Tuesdays and Thursdays to work on glass pieces with Getz. She also volunteers at the studio.

“I think the more that I got into (glassblowing), the more it became kind of an escape for me from the everyday grind of college,” McCoog said. “It’s definitely a labor of love, and you have to put a lot of effort into it, so once it all comes together, it’s really rewarding.”

When Getz is not teaching classes or working with students like McCoog, he finds time to create his own works of art. He created glass iPhone speakers because he said he wanted to make a something that was both functional and beautiful.

“I’ve been selling a lot of (speakers) because no one else makes them yet,” Getz said. “When you work in glass, you can do whatever you want, and the idea is (that) the more unique you can become, the more your stuff is worth.”

Getz said he did not have any resource like the Banana Factory when he was growing up. He added that he loves to get the community involved and hopes to raise awareness about the visual arts.  

Shirey said there is a sense of teamwork and camaraderie among the staff, volunteers and students in the glass studio. He described the glass community as “tight-knit.”

“This is enjoyable to me, and I feel like I am giving back,” Shirey said. “I’m establishing these relationships, whether it’s with the regulars or the staff, and that’s hard to walk away from. As long as that’s still rewarding and fulfilling for me, I see no reason not to stay.”